Assume that you have just been promoted to a new position where you have leadership responsibility. You have never had formal leadership responsibilities before, and you wish to maximize the possibility that you will be successful with this new responsibility. Reflect upon the major leadership theories and models that we have learned about in this unit. Develop a Pro and Con list involving at least three of these theories/models. Reflect on each theory and discuss how the theory fits with your own personal style. For example Β with a contingency style of leadership, perhaps this would not fit with someoneΒs style if that person believes that all subordinates should be treated identically.
******************************************************
Introduction
Unit 7 explores the important topic of leadership. What is important to keep in mind is that leadership is NOT the same as management. A manager can certainly be a leader but not all leaders are managers. Leadership is
about creating a shared vision of the future and then inspiring others to help achieve that vision. Leadership is a vital resource within the organization. If you look at successful organizations, you will often see individuals who are recognized as great leaders. Think about the following names Bill Gates, Nelson Mandela, Ronald Regan, Mahatma Gandhi, Jack Welch, George Bush, Osama Bin Laden, Bono of the rock group U2, Pope Benedict XVI, and Adolf Hitler. All of these people were leaders, some were leaders of business, some leaders of ideas, some leaders of religion, some leaders of governments, some we praise, and some we condemn, but all were effective. The question that leadership theories have been struggling to answer is what was it that made these people leaders? What was it that made them so effective? Although we will not fully answer that question in this unit, we will begin to explore the theory and research behind leadership that helps us begin to understand.